After nearly three years since the conclusion of Colin Trevorrow's Jurassic World trilogy, Universal Pictures is once again returning to the world of dinosaurs.
However, this time, the reins are being handed over to a new director, Gareth Edwards, best known for his work on Godzilla (2014) and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. The upcoming film, Jurassic World Rebirth, recently unveiled its first trailer, giving fans a glimpse of what's to come. With a fresh storyline and a new batch of characters, Rebirth promises to take the franchise in an exciting direction—and, of course, fill it with a lot of terrifying dinosaurs.
But these are no ordinary dinosaurs. In fact, these creatures are even more dangerous than their predecessors.
According to producer Frank Marshall, who spoke to Vanity Fair in an exclusive preview, some of the dinosaurs featured in Rebirth are "mutations" of the original creatures. “These are the dinosaurs that didn’t work. There’s some mutations in there," he revealed. “They’re all based on real dinosaur research, but they look a little different."
For those who’ve already seen the Rebirth trailer, there’s one particular dinosaur that stands out. The creature appears briefly but leaves a lasting impression. Shrouded in darkness and illuminated only by occasional flares, this dinosaur is a strange mix of unnatural and prehistoric traits. It’s clear that this isn’t a natural species; instead, it's a man-made creation, an abomination, perhaps. But what exactly is this mutant dinosaur? The mystery surrounding it is at the heart of what’s being teased in the movie. While the full picture is still unclear, we do have some information that offers a glimpse into its true nature.
A New Beginning for the Franchise
Jurassic World Rebirth is set five years after the events of 2022’s Dominion. By this time, Earth’s ecosystem has become largely inhospitable to dinosaurs. The remaining dinosaurs are confined to isolated regions near the Equator, where the climate is the closest to the one they lived in 65 million years ago. Yet, despite the seemingly barren future of dinosaurs on Earth, there’s still a reason to seek them out.
According to the film's official synopsis, the remaining dinosaurs hold the key to something crucial for humanity: a drug that can be developed from their DNA, a substance that could save countless lives. This discovery sparks a dangerous mission to retrieve genetic material from these creatures, setting the stage for a thrilling and high-stakes adventure.
The Mutant Dinosaur's Origins: What Has Gareth Edwards Said?
In an interview with Vanity Fair, Gareth Edwards, the director of Rebirth, shed some light on the origins of the mutant dinosaur. He revealed that its design was influenced by some iconic movie monsters. One such inspiration is the Xenomorph from Ridley Scott's Alien franchise, created by the legendary H.R. Giger. The disturbing, biomechanical look of the Xenomorphs is something that Edwards wanted to echo in the design of the mutant dinosaur. In addition to that, Edwards pointed to the Rancor from Star Wars: Return of the Jedi as another influence. Star Wars fans will recall this massive beast residing in Jabba the Hutt’s palace.
But that’s not all—Edwards also mentioned that there’s a bit of the T. rex in this creature, particularly in its arms. So, we’re dealing with something that’s part classic dinosaur, part science-fiction nightmare. According to Edwards, the result is a terrifying hybrid, more monstrous than any dinosaur we’ve seen before.
The trailer is now out
The "Rebirth" Trailer’s Tease: A Sinister Discovery
The trailer for Jurassic World Rebirth provides a few more tantalizing details about the plot. As Zora Bennett (played by Scarlett Johansson) says in the trailer, “This island was the research facility for the original Jurassic Park.” That’s an important detail. Unlike Isla Sorna, the infamous "Site B" from The Lost World: Jurassic Park, this location was the original site where John Hammond’s team cracked the code to create dinosaurs. The trailer suggests that the failed and dangerous experiments from the past were abandoned on this island. This includes the mutant dinosaur, which has been hidden away from the world for decades.
It's possible that the creature in the trailer is a product of those early days of Jurassic Park's research. The team struggled with their methods during the early stages of cloning dinosaurs, and mistakes were made. While the park was eventually opened, not all of Hammond’s experiments went as planned. This mutant dinosaur could very well be one of those early attempts at creating a dinosaur that went horribly wrong.
Is the Mutant Dinosaur a Hybrid?
As of now, the exact nature of the mutant dinosaur remains a mystery. However, it’s reasonable to speculate that it could be another hybrid creature, similar to previous "genetic experiments" from earlier films in the Jurassic World franchise. The first film introduced the Indominous Rex, a hybrid created from the DNA of several dinosaur species. Subsequent films also explored this concept, including the Indoraptor, a more sinister hybrid created for military purposes in Fallen Kingdom. The Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous animated series also took this idea even further, adding creatures like the Scorpios Rex and the Spinoceratops to the hybrid roster.
But what about this new dinosaur? Could it be the next step in the evolution of hybrid creatures? It’s certainly possible. The Rebirth trailer hints at this theory, suggesting that the mutant dinosaur might have been another attempt to merge the genetics of various dinosaurs into something more powerful or dangerous. The T. rex influence on its design is certainly a clue in that direction.
A Failed Experiment or Something More Sinister?
The theory that the mutant dinosaur is a failed experiment does carry weight, especially considering the setting of the story. As Zora mentions, this island was once home to the research facility that helped make Jurassic Park possible. It’s plausible that this dinosaur is a product of those early genetic experiments, a creature born from human hubris. As Jurassic Park III famously put it, “This is how you play God.”
There’s another, albeit more speculative, angle to consider. Fans of the franchise might recall that the script for an abandoned Jurassic Park 4 included human-dinosaur hybrids. This concept was never realized, but sketches of these bizarre creatures surfaced online. Could Gareth Edwards and screenwriter David Koepp be revisiting this weird concept for Rebirth? While this idea remains highly speculative, it’s not beyond the realm of possibility. After all, Universal has previously entertained the notion of getting really weird with the franchise.
What’s Next for the Jurassic World Franchise?
As we await the release of Jurassic World Rebirth in theaters on July 2, 2025, one thing is certain: the franchise is going in a new direction. With a fresh vision from Gareth Edwards and a new set of characters to follow, fans can expect thrilling new dinosaur encounters—and more than a few twists. The mystery of the mutant dinosaur will undoubtedly be one of the key elements driving the plot forward, leaving us all wondering just what kind of creatures the Jurassic world is capable of creating.
Until then, we can only speculate on what’s to come. But one thing’s for sure—Jurassic World Rebirth is set to bring a whole new level of danger to the franchise.
